The Latest: Speechwriter resigns after abuse allegations

2018-02-09T18:42:29Z2018-02-10T14:35:34Z

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci). President Donald Trump speaks with White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, second from right, and White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley, right, after meeting with Don Bouvet, left, in the Oval Office of the White House, ...

(AP Photo/Evan Vucci). FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2017 file photo, White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter, center, hands President Donald Trump a confirmation order for James Mattis as defense secretary, in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington...

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon). FILE - In this Aug. 4, 2017 file photo, from left, White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter, White House Chief of Staff John Kelly, and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner walk to Marine One on the South Lawn of the White Ho...

A top aide to President Donald Trump says he's leaving the White House but rejects as "simply false" allegations of domestic abuse by his two ex-wives.More >>

A top aide to President Donald Trump says he's leaving the White House but rejects as "simply false" allegations of domestic abuse by his two ex-wives.More >>

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on the resignation of White House staff secretary Rob Porter (all times local):

8 p.m.

A second White House staffer has departed the Trump administration in the wake of abuse allegations.

Spokesman Raj Shah confirms speechwriter David Sorensen resigned Friday after the White House learned of the allegations against him.

Shah says Sorensen denies the allegations, which were first reported by The Washington Post.

The Post says Sorensen's ex-wife claimed he was violent and emotionally abusive during their short-lived marriage.

Staff secretary Rob Porter, one of the president's closest aides, resigned Wednesday after the publication of allegations that he'd abused his two ex-wives. He, too, denies the allegations.

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6:45 p.m.

The White House has announced who will replace former staff secretary Rob Porter, who resigned this week amid domestic abuse allegations.

Former deputy staff secretary Derek Lyons has been promoted to acting staff secretary. The Harvard Law School grad previously worked as a senior adviser to Jeb Bush's 2016 presidential campaign and Sen. Rob Portman, according to his Linkedin profile.

Porter resigned Wednesday amid allegations that he had abused two former ex-wives. He has denied the allegations and says he is the victim of a smear campaign.

The announcement came as part of a slew of promotions announced by the White House Wednesday evening.

Trump has also tapped former Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Carroll to serve as the next drug czar.

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4:40 p.m.

White House chief of staff John Kelly says a senior aide's resignation came within an hour of learning about new accusations of spousal abuse.

The White House announced Wednesday that Porter had resigned. That same day, it issued a statement from Kelly praising Porter.

Kelly's handling of the Porter matter has cast a harsh spotlight on the chief of staff, who has recently drawn the ire of President Donald Trump.

But a White House official said Friday that Kelly has not offered his resignation.

Porter has denied the allegations and blamed a "smear campaign" against him.

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1:25 p.m.

President Donald Trump says he hopes an aide who resigned this week in the wake of domestic abuse allegations has "a great career ahead of him."

Trump tells reporters at a surprise appearance Friday that former White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter did "a very good job while he was in the White House" and adds: "We wish him well."

Porter has been accused of domestic abuse by two ex-wives and a former girlfriend. He has denied the charges.

Trump tells reporters he was surprised by the abuse allegations and called the news "very sad."

Trump is also stressing that Porter maintains he is innocent. He says: "I think you have to remember that."

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1 a.m.

Pressure is mounting on White House chief of staff John Kelly amid questions about his defense of a senior aide he fought to keep in a highly sensitive West Wing job despite accusations of spousal abuse from two ex-wives.

White House staff secretary Rob Porter, a member of President Donald Trump's inner circle and arguably Kelly's closest aide, cleaned out his desk on Thursday. But the aftershocks of his resignation continue amid concerns about his access to classified information.

Kelly himself faced criticism for initially defending his aide - only to later shift course after the publication of photos showing one of Porter's ex-wives with a black eye.

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